Ephemeral films

3,169–3,216 of 19,487 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.

Where these films come from, and who sees what

Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.

Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Sexual content and nudity are left out altogether.

Little OnesFilms for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool.
KidsCartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature.
TweensDocumentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures.
TeensEverything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower.
AdultSexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage.
Internet Archive Konrad Lorenz: Of Geese and Men 1978 · Educational Title from data sheet Also issued as videorecording Producer, Phillip R. Blake; directors, Steven D. McAdam, Phillip R. Blake Nobel Prize winner Konrad… Internet Archive Stepdancing: Portrait of a Remarried Family 1987 · Educational Title from data sheet A foreign film (Canada) Ages 10-12 and adults Describes the difficulties that a young boy has living with his mother and stepfather… Internet Archive The Solar System 1977 · Educational Revised version of the motion picture issued under title: Our solar family Producer, Thomas G. Smith; narrator, Richard Basehart; collaborator, Allan… Internet Archive 1986 POST CHERNOBYL DISASTER BELLORUSSIAN DOCUMENTARY FILM RETURN TO EXCLUSION ZONE XD14564 Documentary Produced just two years after the Chernobyl disaster by Belarusfilm and Goskino and with the assistance of the Belorussian Institute of Radiobiology, "After… Internet Archive Ask Me, Don’t Tell Me 1960 · Film Exploration of juvenile delinquency in San Francisco featuring interviews with teenagers from different racial and ethnic groups about their neighborhoods and… Internet Archive Kittens: birth and growth 1957 · Educational · 10 min Tells about two children who eagerly await the birth of a family of kittens. Covers an eight-week span, showing the kittens being born, learning to crawl,… Internet Archive Peace Loving Switzerland 1958 · Film Presents the story of Switzerland's contribution to world peace. Discusses her mountainous frontiers, the advantages to other countries of her neutrality, the… Internet Archive India: The Brightest Jewel 1977 · Educational Historical advisor, John Harrison ; series editor, Paul Mitchell John Tidmarsh The final years of British rule in Indian and that country's independence and… Internet Archive Roadblocks to Communication 1963 · Educational · 29 min Distinguishes between disagreements and misunderstandings. Explores the concept of 'feedback' as one of the ways to improve communication. Explains the use of… Internet Archive This Is Roller Skating Film Chicago Roller Skate Co, Pepsi-Cola Co. A promotional film extolling the virtues of roller skating. Internet Archive 25 Years of Progress, Episode 2: Moon A Goal 1983 · Film Although a fledgling organization, NASA reaches several milestones in 1960-61. There are two highly successful unmanned orbital flights, the world’s first… Internet Archive P.L.94-142: Equality of Opportunity 1977 · Educational · 21 min P.L.94-142: Equality of Opportunity Shows that angular momenta add vectorially. Demonstrates the phenomenon of precession and shows that a torque applied… Internet Archive Nursing Care Of The Sick And Injured 1965 · Film Discusses general care of illness and long-term care of injuries. Stresses the treatment of symptoms using medications found in the public shelter medical kit… Internet Archive Arctic window 1984 · Educational · 59 min From WorldCat: Documents the journey of North Atlantic puffins from their native Iceland to a specially designed habitat at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Title… Internet Archive Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" 1978 · Educational Produced by the BBC for the British Open University Considers the meaning of the "Last Judgment," painted by Michelangelo on the altar wall of the Sistine… Internet Archive The Night Sky, Episode 3: Observing the Night Sky 1993 · Film Shows “star parties” and night sky observing materials, such as star charts, from the Stoney Ridge Observatory in the southern California mountains. To… Internet Archive The Rug Maker: A Folktale of Africa 1970 · Educational Based on the book: When the stones were soft, by Eleanor Heady Intended audience: Elementary grades An animated East African folktale which shows that… Internet Archive The Japanese 1968 · Educational Produced by CBS An exploration of Japan with former ambassador Edwin Reischauer who focuses on the members of a typical three-generation family as seen… Internet Archive Art Of Cake Decorating With Norman Wilton Film An amazingly catty Norman Wilton shows some basic cake decorating techniques. This film can be purchased on DVD and higher quality versions of the film can be… Internet Archive Cassette: "Janeen Brady’s Safety Kids Vol 2. Play it Smart, Stay Safe from Drugs" 1985 · Film SEEKING SOUND FILMSTRIPS FOR PRESERVATION. Sound filmstrip was a 35mm film-based still image educational media format used in schools and industry. I am the… Internet Archive Movie Makers Movie Film It has a brochure with it from Movie Makers Inc. Cleveland, Ohio ~ The brochure reads in part; The three most frequent questions asked of us are: "How Long… Internet Archive The Naughty Red Haired Indian Chief Plus Four More Fairy Tales 1987 · Film Animated children's video featuring: The Naughty Red-Haired Indian Chief; The Magic Ring; The King And The 100 Rebbits; The Indian Cinderella; The Birthday… Internet Archive Eggs. [Motion picture] 1946 · Educational · 10 min The story of egg production on a large, commercial egg farm. Emphasizes the care given to hens in clean and scientifically-regulated laying houses. Describes… Internet Archive Hospital Sepsis - A Communicable Disease 1959 · Film Wow! People sneezing in slow-mo etc. Visualizes means by which infection, particularly staphylococcal, is introduced, spread and carried in a hospital, and… Internet Archive Battle of San Pietro (1945) 1945 · Educational · 32 min Battle of San Pietro (1945) A portrait of film producer Edwin S. Porter. Spotlights the years 1894 to 1908, as onetime silent film star Blanche Sweet… Internet Archive The Adams Chronicles: 8 -- John Quincy Adams: Secretary of State (1817-1825) 1976 · Educational · 1 h Title from data sheet Prepared in conjunction with Jack Shepherd's book entitled The Adams chronicles Also issued as videorecording John Quincy Adams is… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Danger Mountain (Copy 1)" 1973 · Educational SOUND FILMSTRIP IS AN AT-RISK MEDIA FORMAT. I am the only person on earth preserving American filmstrips. The media format is largely forgotten and very… Internet Archive Kathy's Dance 1977 · Educational Follows several months in the life of dancer Kathy Posin as she choreographs a new dance for her troupe, gives solo performances as an Affiliate Artist, and… Internet Archive NASA Images 3 1987 · Film NASA Images 3 To license this film and get a higher quality version for broadcast/film purposes, contact A/V Geeks LLC . Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Fundamentals of the Internal Combustion Engine" 1971 · Educational SOUND FILMSTRIP IS AN AT-RISK MEDIA FORMAT. I am the only person on earth preserving American filmstrips. The media format is largely forgotten and very… Internet Archive Darrow vs. Bryan: The Monkey Trial 1964 · Educational · 25 min Directed by Alan Landsburg and narrated by Edmond O'Brien A case study of the impact of a changing American society upon fundamentalist rural traditions. The… Internet Archive C-130 MILITARY AIRLIFT COMMAND VIETNAM WAR AIRFORCE NOW 75754 Film This episode of Air Force Now begins with a transport flight crew flying over South Korea, explaining their mission as part of Military Airlift Command. The… Internet Archive Planet Insect 1995 · Educational Short video on Smithsonian Insect Exhibit. Presented by The O. Orkin Insect Zoo. Internet Archive The Sleeping Brain - an Experimental Approach 1971 · Educational **CONTENT WARNING - Cat brain dissection!** Presents De Michel Jouvet who explores neurophysiology and neurospychology of sleep and dreaming and demonstrates… Internet Archive How to Prevent a Nuclear War 1987 · Educational · Subtitles Cataloged from contributor's data Camera, Boyd Estus ; editors, Maureen Fahey, Dick Bartlett Senior high school through college students and adults An… Internet Archive 25 Years of Progress - Episode 10 - Shuttle Preparation and Planets 1983 · Film Examines Voyager I and II, as they were launched toward Jupiter and Saturn. Each spacecraft carried a copper record which was intended to serve as a greeting… Internet Archive The Making of a Continent: Part 1 -- Corridors of Time 1983 · Educational · 28 min Based on the book of the same title by Ron Redfern Rated G Producer-writer, Michael Andrews Examines the traumatic geologic events that led to the shaping… Internet Archive The Mystery of The Lost Red Paint People (1987) 1987 · Educational · 56 min Tells how American archeologists and anthropologists discovered the remains of a previously unknown advanced pre - historic culture on North America's… Internet Archive Chinatown Alley 1912 · Film Health inspectors walk up Chinatown alley Internet Archive Basic Electricity: 8 -- Alternating Current 1982 · Educational Consultant, James M. McGrath, Lane Technical High School, Chicago Covers definition of direct current; circuit with center-zero ammeter; definition of… Internet Archive Bach to Bach 1968 · Educational Mike Nichols, Elaine May Music, Bach; played by Martin Rubinstein; camera, Victor Lukens; editor, Ralph Rosenblum "As a hi-fi plays a selection of piano… Internet Archive Paper mache 1967 · Educational · 18 min With teacher's guide Demonstrates the very wide expressive range which may be achieved with this simple and easily available material. Presents the basic… Internet Archive The Cows of Dolo Ken Paye: Resolving Conflict Among the Kpelle 1970 · Educational Cinematography, editing, animation, Marvin Silverman ; music, James L. Gibbs ; editorial consultant, Henry Breitrose Documents the coexistence of traditional… Internet Archive The Nature of Depression 1984 · Educational Identifies symptoms often masking depression, defines stress in terms of sensory input, and considers reactions of the human body to stress related… Internet Archive Learning PowerPoint 97: Intermediate 1997 · Educational · Subtitles "In this video you will learn: Power editing (22 min); Power slide development (38 min); Enhancing your presentations with clip art (14 min); Say it with… Internet Archive The Effects of the Ionosphere on Radio-wave Propagation (1950) 1950 · Educational · 29 min The Effects of the Ionosphere on Radio-wave Propagation (1950) Includes a brief history of the electron microscope. Demonstrates the use and the importance of… Internet Archive Skylab, Program 5: Magnetism in Space 1980 · Film Describes basics of magnetism through demonstrations on Earth and in space on board Skylab. Astronaut Owen K. Garriott reviews familiar magnetic effects and… Internet Archive The Cow-Tail Switch: A Folktale of Africa 1970 · Educational A folktale by Harold Courlander and George Herzog from the Liberian rain forest which recounts the death and return to life of Ogalussa, the hunter